St. Paul daily globe., 1887-01-10
dence here. All but he have been men of
small means and not money-makers.
WOMEN WHO ARE ArHaETes.

Circus Performers Taught the Art
ara New Work Gymnasium.
New York Mail and Express.
Many people have long been at a loss to
know where the lady athletes learn the art
by which they earn livelihood and by
whom they are taught, A professor has
private gymnasium in an uptown street at
which many of the queens OF the air are in
structed in the art of hanging by their toes
| and going through various other acts well
Known to the freQuenterS of the circus and
variety theater. A reporter had long
| talk with this professor. and was told how
| these athletes are taught. When the re-
porter entered the studio he found
the professor instructing two young
women in trapeZe maneuvers. The
visitor was invited into a
| private room. as it is against the rules for
any one to be present while pupils are tax
ing lessons. The rooms were decorated
| with photographs of the shining lights in
the profession whom the professor had
fitted for the business. After the lesson
was over the professor took the scribe
through the different apartments
II am the only man in this city," said
the athlete, who instructs ladies in the art
Of performing on the trapeZe and | have
just completed a book III which | explain
all the tricks and the way in which they
are acquired"
Il suppose a person must be very young
| and supple at the start to make anything
like good acrobat
| That's where you are entirely wrong,
| SIT. Any woman can become good per
former after proper course of training if
she is but healthy and not too stout. It-S
all mechanical, and can be acquired only
by constant practice. | have ladies come
to me who are anything but graceful, and
by following my advice and suggestions
closely they have become first class per-
formers and are now earning good salaries.
Many fail because they can't stand the
hardship inseperable from the first few
days practice. After the initial lesson
they Invariably decline to take the rest of
the course. Nine persons out OF every ten
give it up after the first lesson. If they
would only keep on the pain would gradu-
ally disappear, and they would be all right
and never be similarly troubled again."
What is the first lesson you give?"
''The first lesson give is to get my
money-my retainer. as it were. That is
also the first lesson they give me. Then
they are ready for the first lesson, which
consists of hanging by the hands and swing
! ing TO and fro across the room, which |
have them do in order to satisfy myself of
their strength. They generally swing
across twice and fall upon a feather bed
The next figure is to hang by the hands
from bar. After they have gone so far
they take hold Of the ropes and slide up
into sitting position. Alter few
moments rest l make them get down by
reversing the motion.
when l have progressed thus far |
teach them to hang by their knees. This
is not quite so difficult as the previous
lesson. After they have gone
through this motion several times
they feel like going home. WAen
a woman has gone as far as this with
out complaining much it is pretty safe
to say she will succeed in the profession
she has chosen. Most of them think every
muscle in the body has been severed.
have had pupils come to ME after an alb
sence of week and tell me they felt the
bars across their backs"
How long does it require woman to
become proficient"
That depends entirely upon the pupil;
but l generally tell what the pupil will
amount to as performer after have given
her two lessons..'
''Do you ever have any accidents?''
s'Very seldom; 1 always look out for
them. Slim women generally make the
most scientific performers"